Elevator-coupling.



PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906. G. B. READ. ELEVATOR GOUPLING., APPLIOATIONIII BD MAB.27, 1905.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-G EORGE BURT READ, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR-COUPLING. 4

To aZZ whom/ it may concern:

Be it known thatl, GEORGE BURT-READ, a

. citizen of the United StatesofAmerica, re-

siding at Bloomin ton, in the county of Mc- Lean and State of llinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to t e accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in couplings for portable sectional elevators and conveyers. Q

It has heretofore been proposed to form portable elevators in sections, so that the ele' sections together when they open at the joints, as t ey often do when subjected to heavy use, and in order to uncouple the several sections it is necessary to remove a large' number of bolts, and with the second the .op-

erator in order to drawthe sections together must be provided with a wrench, and, furthermore, as the elevator is exposed to various weather conditions the nuts and bolts often become so rusty that it is very difficult a to uncouple or adjust the sections.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a coupling for elevators of this type by which the various sections of the elevator can be quickly coupled or uncoupled and the adjacent sections may at any time be quickly drawn together without the employment of bolts, nuts, and the like.

In the drawings, wherein a preferable embodiment of my invention is shown and wherein like letters of reference refer to similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ortable elevator formed my improved cou ling. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view 0 one side of the elevator, showing the osition of two of the sections coupled toget er. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionof the same, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the coupling members secured to the under side of the elevator.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designates a portable elevator,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 27, 1905. Serial No. 252,399.

The couplings heretofore em- Patented March 20, 1906.

which in the form illustrated in the drawings is formed of two sections B and C, each of which is rovided with the usual guide-box D, secure to the body portion of the sections by means of keeper-irons D. The sections Band C are coupled together by means of couplings E. I have shown in the drawings only'one of such couplings; but it is obvious that another one is used on the other side of the elevator. The couplings E each comprise metal plates E and E detachably secured to the sides of the sections B and C, respectively, the adjacent ends of said plates being provided with the 'downwardlydiverg' ing grooved portions e and e, which are preferably formed by bending the ends of the plate back upon themselves, and the coupling member E the ends of which are rovided with corresponding downwardlyiverging tongues 6 which are adapted to engage the grooves e and e in the plates E and E and which are preferably formed by bending the ends of the coupling memberback upon themselves. The inclination of the grooves e and e and of the tongues e is such that when the sections are in their coupled ositions the upper edge of the coupling-p ate E is wider than the distance between the upper ends of the grooves e and e and narrower than the distance between the lower ends of such grooves. E are rovided with pockets e and e which when t e plates are secured to the sides of the elevatorsections are adapted to embrace straps secured to the sides of the sections, l which in the form shown in the drawings are ,the keeper-irons D. From this construcition it will be apparent that a large portion iof the lateral strain to which the plates are subjected when the coupling is in use will be transferred to said straps or keeper-irons. I also preferablyconnect the adjacent ends of The rear ends of the plates E andv the sections of the guide-box D by two couplings similar to those heretofore described for coupling the elevator-sections B and C, as

shown in Fig. 4. of two sections coup ed together by means of To assemble the elevator, the sections B and O are placed with their ends abutting and the coupling-plate E is slipped over the adj acent ends of the plates E" and E the flanges on said plate engaging thegrooves in the endsof the plates E and E The upper edge of the coupling-plate E is then struck with a hammer or other implement and forced downward, thereby drawing the sections B and C tightly together, owing to the inclination of IIO the grooves e and e and the tongues e The frictional engagement between the grooved portions of the plates E and E and the tongues of the coupling member E will prevent the coupling member from working loose. It will be understood, however, that, if desired, any locking means may be employed for holding the coupling member in position. To uncouple the sections, it is simply necessary to strike the lower edge of said coupling-plate E 'with a hammer or other implement, when the same will be instantly loosened and can be readily removed from engagement with the grooves e and e of the plates E and E While in the drawings accompanying this specification I have shown the elevator as constructed of two sections only, it is obvious that a larger number of sections might be employed.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise form and construction shown in the drawings, as it is obvious that many minor changes might be made in the form shown therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new is 1. An elevator comprising a plurality of sections, engaging members at the adjacent ends of said sections, and a detachable coupling member bridgingsaid sections and provided with engaging means interlocking with the engaging means on said sections, said coupling member serving when in its operative position to draw the sections together to form substantially a single rigid conveyer.

2. A portable elevator comprising a plurality of sections, each provided with a guideboX suspended therefrom to support the lower run of a conveyer, and coupling members having interlocking engagement with the adjacent ends of the sections and the guideboXes and serving when in their operative position to draw said sections and guide-boxes tightly together to form substantially a single rigid conveyer.

3. An elevator comprising a plurality of sections, a pair of plates secured to the ends of said sections, the adjacent ends of said plates being provided with diverging grooved portions, and a coupling member provided with flanges interlocking with the grooved portions of said plates, said coupling member serving when in its operative position to draw the sections tightly together to form substantially a single rigid conveyer.

4. An elevator comprising a plurality of sections, a pair of plates detachably secured to said sections and provided at their adjacent ends with diverging grooved portions,

and a coupling member bridging said sections and provided with diverging tongues interlocking with the grooves of said plates, said coupling member serving when in its operative position-to draw said sections tightly together until the adjacent ends thereof abut, to form substantially a single rigid conveyer.

5. An elevator comprising a plurality of sections, straps secured to the sides of said sections, plates secured to the sides of said sections and provided with pockets adapted to embrace said straps and means for coupling the adjacent ends of the plates on the adj acent sections.

6. An elevator comprising a plurality of sections, straps secured to the sides of said sections, plates secured to the sides of said sections and provided with pockets adapted to embrace said straps, and a wedge connection between the adjacent ends of the plates on the adjacent sections.

7. A sectional conveyer comprising a plurality of conveyer-sections, each having a guideway secured thereto for the support of the lower run of a conveyer, and coupling members coupling said sections and serving when in their operative position to draw the adjacent ends of the conveyer-sections and guide-boXes tightly together to form a substantially rigid conveyer.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE BURT READ. Witnesses:

W. H. SEMoNs, EDWARD M. IIOBLIT. 

